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I tell you all her wealth. -For you, great King, [To France.
I would not from your love make such a stray,
To match you where I hate; therefore beseech you
T' avert your liking a more worthy way
Than on a wretch whom nature is asham'd
Almost t' acknowledge, hers.

France. This is most strange!

That she, who ev'n but now was your best object,
Your praife's argument, balm of your age,
Dearest and best, should in this trice of time
Commit a thing so monstrous, to dismantle
So many folds of favour! sure th' offence
Must be of such unnatural degree,
As monfters it; or your fore-voucht affection
Could not fall into taint; which to believe
Of her must be a faith reason without
A miracle should never plant in me.

Cor. I yet beseech your Majesty, (if fo
I want that glib and oily art, to speak
And purpose not, since what I well intend,
I'll do't before I speak) that you make known
It is no vicious blot, murther, or foulness,
No unchaste action, or dishonour'd step,
That hath depriv'd me of your grace and favour;
But ev'n the want of that, for which I'm richer,
A ftill folliciting eye, and such a tongue,
That I am glad I've not, though not to have it
Hath lost me in your liking.

Lear. Better thou

Hadst not been born, than not have pleas'd me better,
France. Is it but this? a tardiness in nature,

Which often leaves the history unspoke

That it intends to do? my Lord of Burgundy,
What say you to the Lady? love's not love
When it is mingled with regards, that stand

Aloof from the intire point. Say will you have her?

She is her self a dowry.

Bur. Royal King,

Give but that portion which your self propos'd,

And

And here I take Cordelia by the hand,

Dutchess of Burgundy.

Lear. Nothing - I've sworn.

Bur. I'm forry then you have so loft a father,

That you must lose a husband.

Cor. Peace be with Burgundy,

Since that respects of fortune are his love,

I shall not be his wife.

France. Fairest Cordelia, that art most rich, being poor, Most choice, forsaken; and most lov'd, despis'd!

Thee and thy virtues here I seize upon,
Be't lawful I take up what's caft away.

Gods, Gods! 'tis strange, that from their cold'st neglect
My love should kindle to enflam'd respect.

Thy dowreless daughter, King, thrown to my chance,
Is Queen of us, of ours, and our fair France :
Not all the Dukes of wat'rish Burgundy,
Can buy this unpriz'd precious maid of me.
Bid them farewel, Cordelia, though unkind;
Thou lofest here, a better where to find.

Lear. Thou hast her, France, let her be thine, for we

Have no fuch daughter, nor shall ever fee
That face of hers again; therefore be gone

Without our grace, our love, our benizon:

Come, noble Burgundy.

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[Flourish. Exeunt Lear and Burgundy,

SCENE

IV.

France. Bid farewel to your fisters.

Cor. Ye jewels of our father, with wash'd eyes

Cordelia leaves you: I know what you are,

And like a fifter am most loth to call

Your faults as they are nam'd. Love well our father;

To your profeffing bosoms I commit him;

But yet, alas, stood I within his grace,

I would prefer him to a better place.

So farewel to you both.

Reg. Prefcribe not us our duty.

Gon. Let your study

Be to content your Lord, who hath receiv'd you

At

At fortune's alms; you have obedience scanted,
And well are worthy to want that you have wanted.

Cor. Time shall unfold what plaited cunning hides,
Who cover'd faults at last with shame derides.
Well may you profper !

France. Come, my fair Cordelia.

[Exeunt France and Cor.

SCENE V.

Gon. Sifter, it is not little I've to say, Of what most nearly appertains to us both; I think our father will go hence to-night.

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Reg. That's certain, and with you; next month with

Gon. You see how full of changes his age is, the obfervation we have made of it hath not been little; he always lov'd our fister most, and with what poor judgment he hath now cast her off, appears too grosly.

Reg. 'Tis the infirmity of his age; yet he hath ever but flenderly known himself.

Gon. The best and foundest of his time hath been but rash; then must we look from his age to receive not alone the imperfections of long-engrafted condition, but therewithal the unruly waywardness, that infirm and cholerick years bring with them.

Reg. Such unconstant starts are we like to have from

him, as this of Kent's banishment.

31

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Gon. There is further complement of leave-taking between Burgundy and him; pray you, let us fit together: if our father carry authority, with such disposition as he bears, this last surrender of his will but offend us. Reg. We shall further think of it.

Gon. We must do something, and i'th' heat. [Exeunt.
SCENE VI.

A Castle belonging to the Earl of Glo'ster.
Enter Bastard with a letter.

Baft. Thou, Nature, art my Goddess, to thy law

My services are bound; wherefore should I
Stand to the plague of custom, and permit

The courtesy of nations to deprive me,

For that I am some twelve or fourteen moonshines

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Lag

Lag of a brother? * and why bastard? base?
When my dimenfions are as well compact,
My mind as gen'rous, and my shape as true,
As honest Madam's issue? why brand they us
With base? with baseness ? bastardy? base, base?
Who in the lusty stealth of nature, take

More compofition and fierce quality,
Than doth within a dull, stale, tired bed,
Go to creating a whole tribe of fops,

EP

Got 'tween a-fleep and wake? Well then, good brother,

Legitimate Edgar, I must have your land,
Our father's love is to the bastarde Edmund,
As to th' legitimate; fine word-legitimate-
Well, my legitimate, if this letter speed
And my invention thrive, Edmund the base
Shall toe th' legitimate: I grow, I profper;"
Now, God, stand up for bastards!

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SCENE VII. To bim, Enter Glo'fter.
Glo. Kent banish'd thus! and France in choler parted!!

And the King gone to-night! subscrib'd his pow'r,
Confin'd to exhibition! all is gone

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Upon the gad Edmund, how now? what news?
Baft. So please your Lordship, none. [Putting up the letter.
Glo. Why so earnestly seek you to put up that letter?
Baft. I know no news, my Lord.
Glo. What paper were you reading?

Baft. Nothing, my Lord..

Glo. No! what needed then that terrible dispatch of it into your pocket? the quality of nothing hath not fuch

Edmund is here inveighing against the tyranny of custom, of which he produces two distinct instances, one with refpect to younger brothers, the other with respect to bastards. In the former he muft not be understood to mean himself though he fpeaks in the first perfon, but according to a common mode of speech to suppose the cafe his own, and as in his own person to exclaim against the unreafonableness and injustice of the thing: the argument thus becomes general, implying more than is said, namely, wherefore should I or any man, &c.

+ As the treading upon another's heels is an expression used to fignify the being not far behind him; fo to toe another means to come up to and be upon even ground with him.

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I need to hide it felf. Let's fee; come, if it be nothing, I

shall not need spectacles,

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Baft. I beseech you, Sir, pardon me it is a letter from my brother, that I have not all o'er-read; and for so much as I have perus'd, I find it not fit for your o'er-looking.

Glon Give me the letter, Sir..

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Bast. I shall offend, either to detain, or give it; the

contents, as in part I understand them, are to blame. Glo. Let's fee, let's fee.

Bast. I hope, for my brother's justification, he wrote this but as an essay, or taste of my virtue.

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and fond bondage

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in the

Glo. reads.] This policy in reverence of age makes the world bitter to the best of our times; keeps our fortunes from us, 'till our oldness cannot relish them. I begin to find an oppreffion of aged tyranny; which way. fways, not it hath power, but as it is suffered. Come to me, that of this I may speak more. If cur father would feep 'till I wak'd bim, you should enjoy half bis revenue for ever, and live the beloved of your brother. Edgar. -Hum-Conspiracy! - leep 'till I wake him-you should enjoy half his revenue My fon Edgar! had he a hand to write this! a heart and a brain to breed it in! When came this to you? who brought it?

Baft. It was not brought me, my Lord; there's the cunning of it. I found it thrown in at the casement of - my closet..

Glo. You know the character to be your brother's? Baft. If the matter were good, my Lord, I durst swear it were his; but in refpect of that, I would fain think it

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Baft. It is his hand, my Lord; I hope his heart is not in the contents.

Glo. Has he never before founded you in this business ? Baft. Never, my Lord. But I have heard him oft maintain it to be fit, that fons being at perfect age, and fathers declining, the father should be as a ward to the son, and the fon manage his revenue.

Glo. O villain, villaint his very opinion in the letter.

Abhorred villain! unnatural, detested, bratish villain!

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